1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure is generally directed to foldable strollers, and more particularly to a fold latch and fold joint for a stroller that minimizes pinch points at the frame fold joint.
2. Description of Related Art
Strollers for transporting toddlers and infants are well known. Nearly all strollers available today are foldable and unfoldable between a folded configuration for ready storage and transport and an in-use configuration for pushing a child. Such strollers typically have a frame construction with a plurality of frame components, i.e., tubes, bars, legs handles, cross-braces, or the like, that pivot relative to one another as the frame is being folded or unfolded. Thus, nearly every stroller on the market has some type of fold joint, which allows the frame components to pivot relative to one another during folding and unfolding. Also, nearly every stroller of this type has a fold latch typically associated with at least one, if not each, of the fold joints. The fold latch is typically constructed to retain the stroller frame in the in-use configuration so that the stroller does not unintentionally fold, but instead only when intended and after the fold latches are released or unlatched.
Pinch, shear, and entrapment issues have been a problem with fold latches and fold joints on these types of strollers since inception. Components of the fold latch, fold joint, or both are typically exposed at least at some point during folding or unfolding and/or when the fold latch or latches are engaged or latched and/or when unlatched or released. In addition, pinch points are sometimes created between closely adjacent frame components and typically, though not always, when the stroller frame is moved to the folded configuration. The hands or fingers of caregivers and children can sometimes suffer injury if pinched or caught between various fold latch, fold joint, and/or frame components of such strollers during folding and unfolding.
Others have tried to solve or improve upon stroller fold latch and fold joint structures and configurations in order to reduce or minimize the pinch, shear, and entrapment issues and problems associated therewith. Others have addressed and alleviated these problems with only moderate degrees of success. However, these known solutions are either typically not very robust, are relatively large and bulky, and/or do not satisfactorily eliminate the problems and issues.